Device for operating trippers for belt conveyers.



No. 745,031. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. A. M. AGKLIN.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING TRIPPERS FOR BELT GONVEYERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1 903. HO MODEL.

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No. 745,031. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

v I A. M. AGKL IN. DEVICE FOR OPERATING I'RIPPERS FOR BELT OONVEYERS APPLIOATION IILIED JULY 20, 1903. ITO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ALFRED M. AOKLIN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HEYL d5 PATTERSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A COPARTNERSHIP.

DEVICE FOR OPERATING TRIPPERS FOR BELT CONVEYERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,031, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed July 20. 1903- Serial No. 166,348. (No model.)

My invention relates to a tripper for beltconveyors, its object being to provide a sim-. ple form of apparatus by means of which the tripper-frame may have a step-by-step movement, as it were, in one direction and then be automatically reversed, so as to move in the same manner in the opposite direction.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a belt} conveyor with my improved tripper applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the gripping mechanism. section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end View of the brakingdevice. Fig. 5 is a View of the gripping device in a different position from that shown in Fig. 3.

Like numerals indicate like parts in each;

of the figures.

the discharging of it into different bins or hoppers along the line of travel of the belt.

indicates a broad belt of suitable material,

said belt passing around the pulley 3, mounted on the shaft 4, which is secured within suit- The shaft 4, may be driven by any suitable power, and at able bearings in the frame 5.

the opposite end of the apparatus is a like pulley, around which the belt 2 passes; but as the construction is well known it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

Suitable idle rollers 6 may be employed, where necessary, to guide and support the belt.

The tripper-frame '7, which may be com Fig.3 is a crossposed of angle-irons and bars of suitable dimensions, is mounted on the wheels 9, which move on the track or support 10, having the ordinary T-rails 11, upon which the wheels 9 of the tripper-frame travel. Mounted on the shaft 12 at the top of the frame 7 is the idle pulley 13, over which the belt 2 passes, and below said idle pulley 13 is the idle pulley 14, mounted on the shaft15, secured within suitable bearings 16 on the frame 7. The belt 2 also passes around the pulley 14.

Mounted on the shaft is the eccentric 17, moving in the eccentric-straps 18. These straps 18 are connected to the arm 19, said arm beingpivoted to the lever 20. The lower end of the lever 20 is pivoted to the grippercarriage 21, said carriage being composed of the side plates 22, within which are journaled the axles 23, which carry the wheels 24, adapted to run on the rails 11. Pivoted between the side plates 22 of the gripping-carriage 21 is the gripper 25, which is bifurcated to form the downwardly and outwardly projecting arms 26 27, the lower ends of said arms having the recesses 28, within which the heads of the rails 11 are adapted to enter, said arms 26 and 27 having the inwardlyprojecting flanges 29, adapted to engage the lower faces of the heads of the rails 11, and 1 so prevent the withdrawal of the gripper from My invention relates to that class of con} veyers in which a belt is employed for conr veying the grain, coal, or other granular ma: terial and adapted to distribute it at different points along the line of travel of the belt or the rails.

In order to provide for the rocking or tilting of the gripper upon its pivotal point for the purpose hereinafter set forth, said recesses 28 in the arms of the gripper may be Wider at one end than the other, so as to al- 1 low for the necessary play of the gripper, as Accordingly in the drawings the numeral 2 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. As a consequence of this construction only the outer ends of the inwardly-projecting flanges 29 engage with the under faces of the head of the rail. A spring 31 is secured to one of the plates 22 of the gripper-carriage, said spring sloping in both directions to form the inclined portions 32 33, one of said inclined portions being adapted to engage the pin or stud at on the gripper, according to the pcsition of the gripper with reference to its pivotal point, all as fully hereinafter set forth.

The gripper 25 has the arm 35, to which the rod 36 is connected, said rod in turn being connected to the weighted lever 37, mounted on the shaft 37, and which acts to counter balance the gripper. While I have only described one of the gripper-carriages, it is to be understood'that there will be one on each side of the frame engaging with both rails of the track.

Secured to the lever is the connectingrod 38, which has the bearing-block 39 at its outer end bearing against the idle wheel 40 on the axle 42, which supports the wheels 9 of the tripper-frame. This bearing-block 39 has the groove 43 formed therein, and within said groove the pin 44 is'adapted to enter. The pin 44 is secured to the brake-block 45, which has its lower face conforming to the circumference of the wheel 9 and adapted to normally bear against the periphery of said wheel 9, owing to the spring 46, which is mounted on the rod 47 of the brake-block 45, said spring being interposed between the block and the support 48, which carries the brake-block. The bearing-block 39 moves withinv the certain space regulated by the stops 49 and 49. A like braking device is secured to a like arm 20 on the gripping device at the opposite side of the frame 7.

Suitable stops 50 and 51 are arranged at proper points on the tracks in the path of the arms 26 27 of the gripper and adapted to reverse the position of said gripper, all as fully hereinafter set forth. Secured to the tripperframe 7 is a suitable hood or hopper 53, arranged to receive the material carried up by the belt 2 and adaptedto discharge such material into a suitable bin or bins at the sides of the track, said hopper for such purpose being provided with the discharge-outlet 54.

Any suitable form of discharging device may, however, be employed.

When my improved tripper is in use, the material to be conveyed is discharged onto the belt at the proper point and is carried by the traveling belt up to the point above the tripperframe where it is discharged into the hood 53, whence it passes to the proper point of discharge. As the belt continues to travel in passing around the pulley 14, the shaft 15 is rotated, and with it the eccentric 17. When the eccentric is approaching and arrives at the position shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of the lever 20 will be gradually forced to its foremost position, while its lower end will be at its rearmost position, the tendency of the backward pull by the lower end of the lever 20 being to draw the gripper-carriage 21 back in the same direction;.

but it is held against backward movement by the gripping-arm 26. The tripper-frame in the meantime has been advanced by this same movement of the lever 20, the brake being released. As a consequence the traveling of the belt operates to move the tripperframe. When, however, the eccentric begins to move beyond the position shown in Fig. 2, the upper end of lever 20 forces back arm 38, and the pin 44 drops into seat 43 and the brake is applied. This initial movement of lever 20 to apply the brakes is not sufficient, however, to move the carriage 21; but upon the application of the brakes the further movement of lever 20 acts to advance the carriage 21. When the brakes are applied, the bearing-block 39 is about midway between the stops 49 and 49, and the wheels 9 are locked, and the tripper-frame is prevented from moving backward. Upon another revolution of the eccentric 17 the parts are again thrown into the position shown in Fig. 2, when the carriage is advanced as before. In this way by a step-by-step or intermittent movement the gripper-carriage 21 is moved along the rails alternately with the tripper-frame.

Vhen the gripper-carriage has moved the length of the track, or so as to bring the arm 26 into contact with the stop 50, the gripper 25 will be shifted upon its pivotal point 30, so that the inwardly-extending flanges 29 of the arm 27 will be forced into contact with the under faces of the rail-head and the arm 26 released, the pin 34 dropping over to the opposite inclined face 32 and acting to hold the arm 27 in contact with the rail, as shown in Fig. 5. The bearing-block 39 in the reversed position of the parts comes in contact with the stop 49 when the brakes are released. It is apparent, therefore, that in this position the action of the gripper-carriage will be reversed, and the tripper-frame will move in the opposite direction through the same mechanism hereinbefore described. The said tripper-frame will move back in this way until the arm 27 strikes the stop 50, whereupon the arm 26 will be again thrown into engagement with the rail, as in Fig. 2. I

What I claim is 1. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, and mechanism for imparting an intermittent movement to said tripper-frame.

2. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, mechanism for imparting an intermittent movement to said tripper-frame, and means for reversing the direction of movement of said tripperframe.

3. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, mechanism for imparting an intermittent movement to said tripper-frame, and means for holding said tripper-frame from movementin-opposite di rections. 5

4. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt,-a tripper-frame -engaged by said belt, gripping mechanism on said tripper-frame adapted to engage the support for said frame, and. means for advancing said gripping mechanism.

5. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling-be1t,.a tripperframe engaged by said belt, gripping IIO IIS

mechanism on said tripperframe adapted to engage the support for said frame, and means for imparting an intermittent movement to said tripper-frame.

6. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a trip? per-frame engaged by said belt, a grippercarriage connected to said tripper-frame, a swinging gripper mounted on said carriage, arms on said gripper one or the other of which is adapted to engage the rails according to direction of movement of said frame, and mechanism for moving said gripper-carriage.

7. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a trip-.

per-frame engaged by said belt, a grippercarriage connected to said tripper-frame, a swinging gripper mounted on said carriage, arms on said gripperone orthe other of which is adapted to engage the rails according to direction of movement of said frame, and mechanism for imparting an intermittent movement to said carriage.

8. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripperframe, a swinging gripper mounted on said carriage, arms on said gripper having inwardly-projecting flanges engaging the heads of the rails, one or the other of said arms gripping the lower face of the rail-head, and mechanism for moving said gripper-carriage.

9. In atripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a trip per-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripper frame, a swinging gripper mounted on said carriage, arms on said gripper having inwardly-projecting flanges whose outer ends engage the heads of the rails, one or the other of said arms gripping the lower face of the rail-head, and mechanism for moving said gripper-carriage.

10. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripperframe, a swinging gripper mounted on said carriage, arms on said gripper having inwardly-projecting flanges adapted to form seats for the reception of the-rail-head, said seats being enlarged to permit of the play of said arms when the gripper swings, and mechanism for moving said gripper-carriage.

11. In atripper forbelt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a trip per-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripper frame, a swinging gripper on said carriage, grippingarms adapted to engage therail-head, means for holding one of said gripping-arms in gripping engagement with the rail-head, and mechanism for moving said gripper-carriage.

12. 'In a tripper for belt conveyers, the com bination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripper frame, a swinging gripper on said carriage, gripping arms adapted to engage the rail head, a spring adapted to hold one of said grippingarms in grippingengagement with the railhead, and mechanism for moving said carriage.

13. In a tripper forbelt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage connected to said tripper frame, a swinging'gripper on said carriage, grippingarms adapted to engage the rail-head,a spring on said carriage, said spring having inclined faces, a projection on said gripper adapted to engage one of said inclined faces and hold one of said grippingarms in gripping engagement with the rail-head, and mechanism for moving said carriage.

14. Inatripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a; tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a tripper-carriage connected to said tripper frame, a swinging gripper on said carriage, grippingarms adapted to engage the rail-head,a spring on said carriage, said spring having inclined faces, a projection on said gripper adapted to engage one of said inclined faces and hold one of said gripping-arms in gripping engagement with the rail-head, a weighted lever connected to said swinging gripper,and niechanism for moving said carriage.

15. Inatripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage on said tripper-frame adapted to engage the support for said frame, an eccentric operated by said belt, and connections between said eccentric and said carriage, whereby an intermittent movement is imparted thereto.

16. In atripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, agripper-carriage on said tripper-frame adapted to en gage the support for said frame, an eccentric operated by said belt, and a lever connected to said eccentric and said carriage, whereby an intermittent movement is imparted to said carriage.

17. In a tripperforbelt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame engaged by said belt, a gripper-carriage on said tripper-frame adapted to engage the support for said frame, an eccentric operated by said belt, connections between said carriage and eccentric, and connections between said eccentric and a braking device.

18. In a tripper for belt conveyors, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frameengaged bysaid belt, agripper-carriage on said tripper-frame adapted to engage the support for said frame, an eccentric operated by said belt, a lever connected to said eccentric and to said carriage, and connections between said lever and braking mechanism.

19. In a tripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frame'engaged by said belt, agripper-carriage on said tripper-frame adapted to engage the support for said frame, an eccentric operated by said belt, a lever connected to said eccentric and to said carriage, an arm connected to said lever, a brake-block normally bearing against the wheel, and means for raising said brake-block by the movement of said arm.

20. Inatripper for belt conveyers, the combination of an endless traveling belt, a tripper-frarne engaged by said belt, a gripper-car- 

